Eiko Shimang
'Appearance' Her most visible features are her brown and red wings. Her skin has a light red tint. Subtle avian features, such as the hint of a beak or bony hands, are easily overlooked. Middle-length, messy dark brown hair, usually tied, and almond-shaped orange eyes. Eiko doesn't really look pretty for most humans, but appears stronger than the average human woman. The crow-woman tends to wear cheap, comfortable clothes, all with slits in the back for her wings. Whenever it is necessary to protect/hide them, she folds and conceals them under a large cloak (which she avoids doing because it's uncomfortable and impractical). Almost everything she wears is made to avoid being clung on by opponents, including an inexpensive, small cap that can be lost without consequences. 'Personality' Bitterness and sarcastic humor are two defining traits of hers, which certainly explains her addiction to alcohol; ale is just perfect to forget what makes life so dull, after all. Not just ale, but also wine, beer, etc... In fact, she can't say no when proposed alcohol. And food, sometimes, but mostly alcohol. That doesn't mean she has no spirit of sacrifice, far from it. When she holds someone dear, it shows. It's hard to truly make friends with Eiko, but when someone manages it, it takes serious betrayal to break the bond. Same goes for her family: they are the only thing she has left of value, according to her. Most of all, she likes children. Therefore, more often than not, when she gains money, she does not spend it, but instead keeps it for the future of little, innocent Aki. Most of her acquaintances know her for her short temper when drunk, and her worrying tendency to try and solve problems with brute force (even when sober), hence her nickname of “''Nosebreaker''”. 'History' The sisters, Mu and Eiko, were born to a soldier and a messenger, both of them also born in Taelarys, after their own parents had migrated here in hopes of a brighter future. Their lives have been mostly, and sadly, uneventful: no miraculous fortune, no development of any particular talent, no chance to shine. Slowly but irreversibly, their culture and ancestral knowledge failed to be transmitted and got replaced by the local culture. The result is that the crow-women have vague understanding of untamed forces (that can't be matched with technology), are aware their original tribes were proud and awe-inspiring, and... that's all. Eiko in particular is bitter about that last part. She embraces the Taelarys culture because that's all she knows, but she can't help but feel the Tengus have failed in many aspects, and deserve better than seeing their traditions turned into exotic, entertaining folklore. The Machinist Guild welcomed her a few years ago, after years of barely-legal activities and jobs in the slums. So far, she's acted more as a docile and convenient underling, but today she tries to get past that stage and get promoted. But even now that she's got a more steady position, she still goes to the Knight's Bard (or any other tavern, really) and drinks her brain off. And once she's done with that, or even before, she starts or takes part to a good brawl. Of course, she's been arrested more than once for that, but she's learnt over time which parts are mostly avoided by the militia. Their parents both died of illness five years ago; Eiko supposes she has more family back in Ikoku, but she has no way to be sure, given the absolute lack of communication between the communities of the continent and the island. She now lives alone on the border of the slums. A certain Mikado found interest in her and hired her as a servant, with promises of not only riches, but also glory and dignity. 'Advantages' *Flight II : Eiko, having not been raised in a wild habitat, can't fly as well as her ancestors. Nonetheless, she can fly at about her running speed, and reach the roof of most buildings in her area, but not much higher. With no additional weight or activity (like fighting or dodging), she can stay in the air for approximately 30 minutes before needing a short rest. *Crow Speech I : pigeons, crows, sparrows, and other such common and small birds are perfectly understandable by most Tengus. That doesn't mean they are cooperative (don't even think about commanding them), or that what they say is always smart or relevant, but the point still stands that Eiko can hold a discussion with them in their own language. Such an ability is hereditary Wild Magic. *Martial Arts I : trained under the more experienced and disciplined Mikado, Eiko is getting the hang of finesse and strategy. Dirty tricks and blatant misuse of equipment were replaced in her deck by very basic knowledge of martial arts. *Machine Repairing I : she doesn't have the imagination or scientific knowledge to actually invent or build a machine from scratch. She is more skilled for detecting what's wrong in a device and fixing it. The 3rd class is seeking self-improvement in that aspect. 'Linked Story Elements' *Tengu *Wild Magic *Rukandt Mountains *Treaty of Hallidan *Mu and Aki Shimang